Celebrating 40 years of Irish-American heritage in Utah

The green outfits and banners waltzed through downtown Salt
Lake City. The festive atmosphere spread among the crowd whether attendees had
Irish blood in them or not. But the parade on March 17 marked more than St.
Patrick’s Day. This year there was something more.

Salt Lake City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade marked the 40th
anniversary of the Hibernian (Irish) Society of Utah. The organization was
founded in 1978 to promote Irish culture and the contributions that the Irish
have made in Utah and throughout the United States.

“The name Hibernian comes from ancient Rome,” said outgoing
Hibernian Society of Utah president, Patrick A. Dougherty. “When the Romans
invaded what is now England, they built Hadrian’s Wall to separate their
territory from the crazy Celts. They decided not to invade the island to the
west that was full of crazy Celts, and they called it Hibernia.” The name was
influenced by the Latin word hibernus,
essentially giving the island the name “land of winter.”

To preserve and celebrate all things Irish, the Hibernian
Society of Utah meets monthly from September through June. They also hold
regular informal classes in Irish history, literature, music and culture.
Heroes of Irish history and culture are celebrated along with the contributions
of everyday Irish-Americans.

In a February letter to the Hibernian Society, Salt Lake
City Mayor Jacqueline M. Biskupski stated, “As the oldest and largest Irish
association in the state of Utah, the Hibernian Society continues to enrich the
lives of residents and visitors.” Activities celebrating Irish culture can be
found throughout the Salt Lake area with the culminating event being the St.
Patrick’s Day parade.

The Hibernian Society of Utah was founded in 1978 by John
Brockert, Emmett Quinn, Michael Rodman and John Welsh. The four gathered
regularly on 400 South in Salt Lake City for drinks, laughs and Irish songs.
Bemoaning the fact that Salt Lake had no St. Patrick’s Day parade, the four
decided to remedy the issue by marching down the nearest street. With the help
of two friendly police officers, the four survived the traffic and applied for
a permit from the city for a more formal parade the following year. To plan the
grand event and to organize fellow Irish-Americans in the community, the
Hibernian Society was born.